Façade (DISCONTINUED. Revised and redone as a webcomic)

Chapter 12: Fireflies and Pecan Trees

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Day 005 3:00pm
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I waited downstairs at the door, hands in the pockets of the greyscale flannel shirt I wore. Dust and Triumph were fussing over me like old ladies, chattering about what I should do with myself. Echo just sucked juice out of another juicebox as he watched with mild interest. Beside him stood Shaun, looking as if he wanted to say something, but had decided to restrain himself.

Shark had allowed them to stay here and sleep on the couches despite their insistence that they didn't want to impose and could afford a hotel, so there were now six people living in this house. Aspen still lived in her apartment flat, but she visited often. Shaun was the same way.

"Don't ask stupid questions like favourite colours or anything."

"Get your frickin' hands out of your pockets!"

It went on and on, and Triumph started messing around with my scarf. I just stayed there as he wrapped it loosely around my neck and let the ends fall forward over my shoulders. He brushed white wolf hair off the dark blue jeans I wore and I finally backed up out of his reach.

"I'm fine. We're just going for a few hours, so don't worry about it too much."

I sighed.

"Well, just make sure you make him happy."

He murmured with a grin.

Distance's voice suddenly echoed across the kitchen from the top of the stairs. I glanced up to see him literally running down the stairs as Aspen followed him. She held a hairbrush in one hand and a bag of glittery hair clips in the other. Shark was standing at the top of the stairs, laughing with a can of hairspray in one hand.

So that's why Distance was running.

I mean, he'd definitely brushed his hair already, but that was as much as he was willing to do with his hair. He shot past Triumph and Dust, slid his feet into his untied sneakers, grabbed my wrist, and dragged me out the door. The old wooden door slammed behind us and he stopped in the front yard.

"They wanted to do my hair. I am NOT having that bullshit."

He muttered, his brow furrowed.

I paused to stare at him, finally getting a chance to see what he was wearing.

Damn, I must've been important to him because he actually changed for this occasion.

He wore a thin white zipper hoodie over a blue form-fitting tank-top, pale blue skinny jeans, his usual grey sneakers, and...no chest binder?

Yeah, that's right...he wasn't making a conscious effort to look like a boy.

He noticed how I stared in confusion and curiosity, glanced away, and muttered,

"I decided to dress like this because I don't wanna make it look like we're a gay couple. Nothing against them, but you should know by now how people treat homosexuals here. I didn't want to fuck this up."

He didn't look at me after saying that and his cheeks had turned slightly red. I didn't say anything for a moment, since I didn't want to tease him or make him self-conscious about how he looked. Finally, I just smiled at him.

"I know this isn't easy for you, but thanks."

I said with a smile.

He stared at me as if he wanted to insult me or something, but instead of going through with it, he sighed and grasped my hand awkwardly. I jumped at the sudden gesture, but Distance just turned and began pulling me down the sidewalk.